No- Boil Mac & Cheese with Broccoli and Bacon

Is there anybody out there that doesn’t love a cozy, creamy, cheesy, hot bowl of macaroni and cheese?! This No-Boil Mac & Cheese with Broccoli and Bacon will have you falling even more in love with it! In the time it takes the oven to heat, you make a rich and velvety cream sauce loaded with cheddar cheese. Pour it over a pan full of uncooked pasta, broccoli florets, and chopped cooked bacon. Pop it in the oven, and 40 minutes later, dinner is served. While the mac & cheese bakes, pour yourself a glass of wine and relax!

Raise your hand if you hate having a pile of dishes to deal with after dinner! Yeah, me too! That’s why I love this recipe! You make the sauce in one pot, and bake the mac & cheese in another. And you’re done! No boiling the pasta. Then, drain the pasta. Then, make the sauce. And, by the time you’ve pulled the finished dish out of the oven the sink is overflowing with dishes! No, thanks! Dinner is a lengthy affair in our house. It takes us a good two hours to eat dinner. The last thing I want you or I to do after a relaxing meal is stand over a sink full of hot, soapy dishes and scrub them!

Let’s talk about ingredients for a moment

Whatever you do, don’t use fat-free or reduced-fat ingredients to make No-Boil Mac & Cheese with Broccoli and Bacon. This recipe requires full-fat products to maintain that rich, creamy texture we all love in a stellar macaroni and cheese! If reduced-fat items are used, the final dish will be chalky, and clumpy.

If you prefer to use the traditional elbow macaroni or a similar size/shape noodle, you’ll save 10 minutes on the bake time. Crunched for time? Choose a small noodle! I prefer a thicker style of pasta. I used this. It provides a bit of a chewy texture to the baked mac & cheese. Some of the noodles pop- out above the layer of cheddar cheese while it’s baking and get a little crispy, too. How about you? Do you like the crispy bits of pasta and cheese that form? Or, do you prefer your mac & cheese soft and creamy, throughout?

If you’re feeling fancy and you want to dress your mac & cheese up, throw a handful of french fried onions on top during the last few minutes of the bake time. Extra chopped bacon is always a winner, as well. Or, my personal favorite, a few {or, a lot!} slices of pickled jalapeños! Thinly sliced chives or scallions are never a bad idea, either!

If you happen to have leftovers, they make a fantastic lunch the following day! If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and tell me how much you loved it! With the first official day of Fall approaching, you’ll want to keep this recipe handy. It’s the perfect dish to warm you up when the days get chilly! ~ XO, Heidi

Looking for something to serve with this dish? Here are some recommendations!

No- Boil Mac & Cheese with Broccoli and Bacon

Description

No-Boil Mac & Cheese with Broccoli and Bacon! A velvety cheese sauce coats uncooked pasta, broccoli florets, and crispy bacon. While the oven heats up, you make the sauce! Pop the assembled dish in the oven for 30-40 minutes to bake, and dinner is ready! With only two pans to wash, what’s not to love about this recipe?!

Scale

Ingredients

3 slices cooked bacon, chopped

3 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cups of whole milk

1 cup of water

1/4 cup of heavy cream

1 tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp dried minced onion

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 cup full-fat sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for the sauce

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for topping before baking

2 cups chopped broccoli florets

7-ounces dry uncooked pasta {see notes}

minced chives, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter a nine-inch cast iron skillet. If you don’t have a skillet use a 8×11.5-inch baking dish. Place the skillet or baking dish on a cookie sheet. The skillet or dish will be very full and the cookie sheet will catch any drips!

Put the dry, uncooked pasta into the baking vessel. Place broccoli florets and bacon on top. Set aside.

Combine the salt, dried onion, and spices in a small ramekin.

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. When butter is hot and just a tad bubbly, add the flour and whisk for one minute. Whisk in the milk, cream and water. Add the spice mixture and dijon mustard and whisk well. Over medium-high heat bring to a boil, while whisking constantly. Continue whisking constantly, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the sour cream and whisk until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the one cup of grated cheddar, until smooth. Pour the cheese sauce over the prepared baking vessel. Stir lightly to coat the ingredients with the sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup of cheddar over the top. Place the baking vessel in the oven {on the cookie tray}. If you use a thinner type of pasta such as elbow macaroni or rotini the skillet will bake between 25 and 30 minutes. If you use a thick, sturdy style of pasta such as rigatoni or trompetti the skillet will bake between 35 and 40 minutes. The casserole will be bubbly, the pasta tender, and a few edges will be browned. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with minced chives just before serving, if desired.